


Suit of Armor

by StateOfEmilyGrace



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Flashbacks, Hurt Peter Parker, I had to get this off my chest, I hate skip westcott, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Precious Peter Parker, Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements, Remember to be safe while reading this, Sexual Assault, Tony comes in after a few chapters, Young Peter Parker, final chapter is chapter one extended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-07-13 09:12:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16014830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StateOfEmilyGrace/pseuds/StateOfEmilyGrace
Summary: Peter Parker finally had a friend......but Skip Wescott was no such thing.OR:Peter deals with being a survivor post Skip Wescott.





	1. The Friend Game

**Author's Note:**

> Okie Dokie, folks. I really had to get this one off my chest. Skip's character (and what he did to Peter) has been eating away at me. I just really needed to write this story. Head the warnings above, though, because with each chapter this will probably get harder and harder to read. It's getting harder and harder to write.

 

Peter Parker had a friend. 

 

His Aunt May and Uncle Ben were nearly bursting with joy at the prospect of it. They had been pushing him to socialize a bit more. Ever since he had moved in with them three years prior, he hadn't had had one friend over, or gone to one friend's house. 

 

The therapist said it was normal. _"He's young. He's adjusting to the loss, so he's struggling to gain. New connections will be hard. Expect him to close himself off"_ they had said. 

 

Ben and May couldn't stand the boy's loneliness, though, so they nudged him out the door a bit. 

 

Peter began to participate more when he had to work in groups at school. He started to talk about his classmates at the dinner table. Then, one summer night, Peter brought someone back to the apartment. He brought a _friend_. 

 

"May, Ben, can my new friend Skip eat dinner with us?" He asked excitedly, tugging a teenage boy in with him. 

 

The two guardians looked at each other. They were surprised, of course, that Peter's first friend in three years was so much older than him. They were still happy, though. Happy, and relieved. 

 

"Slow down, Einstein, I haven't even gotten the chance to introduce myself" Skip laughed, extending his hand towards Ben. 

 

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Steven Wescott, but you can call me Skip. I live in the apartment building next door" Skip smiled kindly as Ben shook his hand. "Ben Parker, Peter's uncle" Ben smiled back. 

 

Skip nodded appreciatively and turned to May to shake her hand. 

 

"May" the woman glowed, "nice to meet you too."

 

Skip nodded again, then took a step back towards Peter. 

 

"How'd you two meet?" Ben asked, leaning on the kitchen counter. 

 

"The library! Skip was returning a book for his mom and I was checking out this cool book about black holes!" Peter exclaimed, holding the book up. 

 

"He sparked my curiosity. I asked him if he could tell me about them, and we ended up chatting for nearly an hour. This kid could be in my math class, and I'm a Senior in High School! Ain't that right, Einstein?" Skip chuckled. 

 

"I guess" Peter blushed, pushing his glasses further up on his nose. "Don't be humble, you're brilliant. I'm lucky to be in the company of a genius like you" Skip replied, ruffling Peter's hair. 

 

"Well, of course you can stay for dinner, Skip. We'd be happy to have you" May smiled. "Thank you very much!" Skip responded, already being pulled away by Peter. 

 

They spent the night playing with legos and talking about outer space. May and Ben tried not to eavesdrop, but they couldn't help but stop and listen at the sound of their nephew's giggles. 

 

Peter Parker had a friend. They were so, so happy. 

 

 

Skip came over nearly every day that week, spending his summer days in a cramped apartment with a nine-year-old that was dedicated to finishing the biggest Lego set he had ever gotten: an airplane. With Skip's help, he got it in no time. 

 

Ben and May were so overjoyed that they couldn't even put it into words. Peter wasn't so alone anymore. 

 

So, naturally, they said yes when Skip invited Peter over to his own apartment. Peter was bouncing off the walls with excitement. 

 

Ben dropped him off, and Skip gave Peter the "exclusive" tour of his home. The little boy was blown away by the magnitude of video games and movies Skip had, let alone the TV in his bedroom. 

 

"Woah" Peter gasped, looking around with wide eyes. 

 

"I'm glad you finally got to come over" Skip smiled, closing the door behind them. 

 

"I thought your parents weren't home" Peter stated, turning around. "Force of habit, I guess" Skip then laughed, moving to his bed and sitting on it. Peter plopped down beside him.

 

"Peter, I've been thinking. We're close friends, right?" Skip asked. "Of course!" Peter answered right away. 

 

"Do you mind if I pick what we do today? It's a new game, but I think it might be fun. The closest friends play it" Skip asked, turning to look at him. 

 

"Yes! Let's play!" Peter exclaimed eagerly. "Do you _promise_ you'll play with me?" Skip asked. "I promise! I swear! What is it?" Peter asked. 

 

Skip gave him a small smile, got down on the floor and started fishing under the bed for something. 

 

When he reemerged, he held a magazine and a bottle of something. Peter furrowed his eyebrows as the magazine got handed to him. 

 

"Skip... how do you play this game?" The boy asked, confused. 

 

"I knew you'd ask that, Einstein. You see what's in that magazine? We do that. It's like a directions sheet." Skip smirked, flipping the magazine open to a page where the corner was folded down. 

 

Peter's eyes went wide. "...Skip, I-I don't know if I wanna play this game" Peter stammered, looking away from horrendous image in front of him. 

 

"Come on, Einstein. It's like a science experiment! All best friends do it" Skip said calmly, his hands on Peter's knees. 

 

The nine-year-old was frozen. Skip moved and sat next to him. "It's easy. I'll show you. Give me your hand" Skip said firmly. Peter shakily lifted the hand closest to his friend. Skip grabbed Peter's wrist, pulled it towards him, and slid it under the waistband of his shorts. 

 

"S-Skip. I-I wanna go home" Peter's eyes began to water as Skip began to moan. 

 

"You promised. You can't have friends if you can't keep promises" Skip said under his breath, still forcing the boy's hand to move. There wasn't a chance of escape. 

 

Peter slammed his eyes shut and bit his lip. Tears, already dripping down his cheeks. 

 

_He promised. He promised. Friends did this. Friends did this._

 

_Skip was his friend._

 

 

Much later, Peter shakily walked back to his apartment with Skip. 

 

"If you walk like that, they'll know I let you play the game. You'll get in huge trouble, Einstein. You've gotta man up" Skip reprimanded as they moved towards the elevator. 

 

_It hurts._

 

"S-sorry" Peter mumbled, trying not to focus on the pain all over, or the hand on his shoulder. He didn't want to get in trouble. 

 

The elevator doors closed and Skip bent down to look Peter in the eyes. "You're such a perfect friend, Einstein. Thank you. Tomorrow, we should go to the library and pick out another book about outer space, okay? Your choice" The teen gave a soft smile, rubbing the child's shoulder, tracing his thumb along his collarbone. 

 

All Peter could do was nod. 

 

When Skip dropped him off with a smile and a goodbye hug that lasted a half a moment longer than it normally did, Peter still couldn't speak. 

 

He scurried past his Aunt and Uncle when the door closed _(walk normally)_ and into his bedroom. The moment his own door was closed, he stumbled towards his bed, only detouring slightly to grab one of his most cherished possessions. When Peter was finally able to curl into his slew of weighted blankets and fluffy pillows, he slid his Iron Man mask on. 

 

_Be brave. Be brave. Be brave._

 

"Peter?" Uncle Ben called, knocking gently on his door. It slowly started to open. 

 

_Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry._

 

Ben's face fell when he saw the mask. "Hey, Pete. Can I come in?" He asked carefully. 

 

Peter couldn't respond. It would take too much of him. 

 

_It hurts. It hurts. It hurts._

 

"What happened at Skip's, bud?" Ben asked, taking a seat at the boy's desk a few feet away. The Iron Man mask stared back at him silently. 

 

Peter didn't want to get in trouble, but he also never wanted to leave his bed ever again. 

 

"P-parents" he shuttered, squeezing his eyes shut. He usually wore the mask when he felt scared. Ben knew that thinking about his parents made him feel scared. This would be his lie. He didn't want to get in trouble. 

 

" _Your_ parents, or Skip's?" Ben asked. Peter nodded quickly at the first option. "Do you want me or May to lay with you?" Ben said softly. Peter shook his head, a different response from what he usually gave, but it was desperately honest. 

 

"Okay. Do you want to be alone?" Was the reply. The tiny mask nodded again, this time more hesitantly. Unsure, Ben got up and left, quietly closing the door behind him. 

 

Peter pulled the blankets up over his head, curled into a tight ball, and let his tears fall again. 

 

 

Peter didn't leave his bed or change his clothes until the next day when he couldn't hold his pee anymore. 

 

May knocked on the bathroom door worriedly when she heard him panicking. He couldn't pull his pants down. 

 

Petrified, he looked in the mirror. Iron Man. He was Iron Man, not Peter. He could be brave in his suit of armor. 

 

He could be brave in his suit of armor. 

 

He could be brave in his suit of armor. 

 

After he managed to go to the bathroom,

 

_(it hurts)_

 

he ran straight back to his bed and crawled under his mass of blankets. 

 

"Peter, honey" May sighed as she followed him in. He felt the bed dip as she sat, and he flinched. She couldn't see, though. There were too many blankets. 

 

"What happened last night? Ben said it was your parents...did Skip ask you about your parents?" May asked. 

 

Peter's small, masked face popped out from under the blankets. He nodded. 

 

"Do you wanna eat something?" May asked worriedly. Another nod. "Okay, I'll make you something. Can you tell me how you feel?" 

 

_It hurts. I'm confused. I'm scared. I have a friend. My friend hurt me. He said it was normal. It hurts. I'm confused. I'm scared. I'm confused. It hurts. I'm afraid of my friend._

 

_I don't want any more friends. I don't like the game. It hurts. I'm scared. I'm confused. I'm scared. I'm scared._

 

Peter shook his head. 

 

"Skip called a few minutes ago and asked if you wanted to go to the library. Are you up for that?" 

 

Peter shook his head again. 

 

May cautiously ran her fingers through her nephew's hair, but froze when he stiffened. 

 

"Peter..." she began, but the boy rolled over to his other side and dipped his head under the blankets again. 

 

 

He didn't come out for days. He only left his bed to use the bathroom, and he only lifted the mask to eat. He didn't shower. He didn't change his clothes. 

 

When he woke up screaming and sobbing two nights later, May and Ben had had enough. 

 

"Pete, what's going on?" Ben asked him as May sat on the foot of the bed. The small boy in the Iron Man mask stared back at them as he shook uncontrollably.  

 

No response. 

 

"Did Skip hurt your feelings? Should we call him over in the morning to work this out?" May asked worriedly. 

 

Peter shook his head violently and clutched the pillow against his chest even tighter. 

 

He couldn't take it. He had to make it stop. He didn't care if he was never allowed to have friends again. He didn't care if they yelled, or grounded him, or locked him in his room. He didn't want to see Skip ever again. 

 

"H-h-hurts" he managed weakly, squeezing his eyes shut. 

 

The images wouldn't leave his head. The feeling wouldn't leave his body. 

 

"What hurts, honey?" May asked gently. Peter shook his head, feeling nauseous. 

 

"Did Skip hurt you?" Ben asked seriously. Peter nodded. 

 

"Physically or emotionally?" Ben asked. Peter nodded. 

 

"Can you point to wear he hurt you physically?" Ben asked. Peter nodded, but made not other movements. 

 

"Show us, Peter, please" May begged. The boy in the mask didn't move. 

 

"You'll feel better if you just let it out, Peter. We won't be upset with you" Ben disclosed, wanted to wrap his nephew in his arms, but at the same time, afraid to touch him. 

 

Peter opened his eyes again. 

 

"You're wearing your suit of armor, right? Nothing can hurt you now. Just tell us what happened at Skip's house" Ben added, gesturing towards the mask. Peter nodded. 

 

Then there was silence. 

 

_I'm brave. I'm brave. I'm brave._

 

"H-he s-said it-it was a g-g-game...for f-friends. I d-don't want f-friends, Uncle Ben. It h-hurts...I don't like the friend game..." Peter stammered, fidgeting and shivering. 

 

"What's the friend game?" Ben asked cautiously. 

 

"I didn't want to play. I told him I didn't want to play it" Peter sobbed, curling into himself. 

 

"What's the friend game?" Ben repeated. 

 

"Touching" Peter nearly whispered. His aunt and uncle were silent. His eyes were closed so he didn't see how pale they got. 

 

"He said it would be easier if...and he had cold gooey stuff...and it-it h- _hurt_..." Peter started shaking violently, and soon Ben was sitting directly in front of him, face pale and eyes wide. 

 

"Peter, did Skip take your clothes off?" Ben asked tensely. Peter nodded. Ben looked down at his lap for a few moments. 

 

"Where are you hurting the most?" Ben swallowed, not ready for an answer. "My butt" Peter cried, feeling so much shame it ached in his chest. 

 

May started crying, and Ben started pacing, cursing under his breath. 

 

"I'm s-sorry" Peter hiccuped, wanting to disappear. Ben turned to him sharply. "No. Do _not_ apologize, Peter. You did nothing wrong. _Nothing_. Skip did something very, very bad. He's not your friend, Peter." He replied. 

 

"H-he called it the friend game" Peter panicked. May scooted closer to him and pulled him close. Peter clung to her. 

 

"That's not what it is. He was wrong. He's not your friend" Ben said stiffly, trying so hard to compose himself. 

 

"Does that mean I didn't have to play? I said yes but then I said no. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Ben" Peter sobbed. 

 

His uncle knelt down beside the bed and put his hand on his nephew's. 

 

"You have nothing to apologize for, Pete. He didn't give you a choice. This is his fault, not yours. I'm going to take the day off work tomorrow, and we're going to spend the day together, alright? We'll go see the doctor, then we can get ice cream and pizza after." Ben forced a smile. 

 

"D-doctor? Why do I have to see a doctor?" Peter asked. "To make sure you're alright, Pete. I'll be with you the whole time." Ben assured him. 

 

"He should see Rose" May exhaled, rubbing her Nephew's back. 

 

His therapist. 

 

"I miss Rose" Peter stated, sniffling. "You can see her this week, Pete. I promise" Ben replied, then stood up. "I'm going to go make a phone call, buddy. I'll be right back."

 

Within the hour, a police officer was at their door. 

 

There were questions for Peter. None had good answers. 

 

They went to the doctor the next day. It sounded to Peter like they wanted to play the friend game. He refused. Ben assured him it wasn't the game. They wouldn't hurt him. 

 

Regardless, Peter held his hand tightly the whole time. 

 

There were more questions. They still didn't have good answers. 

 

Peter listened through his mask, hearing terms he didn't understand. 

 

Molestation. Forced entry. Rape. Lube. HIV test. 

 

Then some he did know...

 

Bruising. DNA. Dry blood. Fingernails. 

 

The doctor eventually let him go. He said Peter would be okay, and spoke alone with Ben for a few minutes. 

 

Next, they got pizza and ice cream. After, they went to the movies. 

 

There were a lot of conversations Peter wasn't allowed to hear. 

 

May and Ben spent every moment with him. 

 

Eventually, he started taking off the mask again. 

 

Eventually, his body didn't hurt anymore. 

 

Eventually, he stopped being afraid to leave his room. 

 

He never saw Skip again.


	2. Desk Mates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who's the hero: the Suit or the man in it?" Ben asked. "Mr. Stark, obviously" Peter replied with a small laugh. "So you know you can be okay without the mask, right? You're the toughest little man in that school. So go learn till you can't fit any more knowledge in your head." Ben poked his nose playfully. 
> 
> "Do I have to talk to people?" Peter asked, running his hands over his mask. "If you aren't comfortable yet, don't worry. If you want to try, you can" Ben replied. 
> 
> Peter just shrugged and looked out the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeerrreee weeeee gggooooooo (:

 

At the start of the next school year, May and Ben didn't push Peter to make friends. 

 

They gave him his lunch, a cell phone to use in case of emergencies, and a kiss on the head. Ben drove him to school, and took a long time saying goodbye. 

 

They had called the school, but it didn't soothe Ben's worries about leaving the kid alone. Peter didn't talk about it, but it was no secret that he was petrified to start 4th grade. 

 

"Go straight to the office and call us if you feel the least bit uncomfortable, alright?" Ben reminded the boy. "Yeah" Peter nodded, clutching the Iron Man mask in his hands. He had just taken it off when the car came to a stop. 

 

"Who's the hero: the Suit or the man in it?" Ben asked. "Mr. Stark, obviously" Peter replied with a small laugh. "So you know you can be okay without the mask, right? You're the toughest little man in that school. So go learn till you can't fit any more knowledge in your head." Ben poked his nose playfully. 

 

"Do I have to talk to people?" Peter asked, running his hands over his mask. "If you aren't comfortable yet, don't worry. If you want to try, you can" Ben replied. 

 

Peter just shrugged and looked out the window. 

 

"Make today a good day. You can do that" Ben added. Slowly, Peter nodded and opened the car door. 

 

"Love you!" Ben called. "Love you too" Peter replied, hesitantly leaving his mask on the seat, then closing the car door. 

 

The young boy shuffled into his school and found his class. His teacher seemed nice. She gave him a seat in the front with a desk mate that Peter had never seen before. 

 

Shyly, the pudgy boy with tan skin and dark hair looked over at Peter. 

 

"I'm Ned. I just moved here" the boy said with a cheeky smile. Peter introduced himself back, but then turned away. 

 

_No friends._

 

"I like your Star Wars lunchbox" Ned spoke up. "Thanks" Peter replied nervously. 

 

"Are you okay, Peter?" Ned asked, grabbing the attention of their teacher. The woman stepped in before Peter could respond.

 

"Do you two like your seats?" She asked. They two boys both nodded. Front and center was right where they liked to be. The teacher seemed contented, and so she walked away. 

 

Since it was the first day, there were a lot of ice-breaker activities and group conversations. Peter only spoke when he had to, and longed for his mask when those moments arrived. 

 

Beside him, Ned was also shy. Peter couldn't blame him, being new and all. In fact, he started to like his desk mate. Could he talk to him? Of course not. No. No friends. 

 

They could be quiet together, though. Peter would like that. 

 

Maybe they had the same favorite movie, and the same favorite TV show. Maybe Ned nodded his head at all Peter's interests, making Peter feel important. Maybe Ned sounded like he had the best Lego collection Peter could ever imagine. 

 

Maybe, but they couldn't be friends. They could only be silent together. Desk mates. Partners in class. Not friends. Friends made Peter feel sick. 

 

As the class left for lunch, the teacher asked Peter to stay back to chat. Peter watched as his desk mate left the room with everyone else. He wanted to get to know his desk mate. Maybe. Not as friends, though. Just as desk mates. 

 

"How are you feeling, Peter?" His teacher asked kindly, taking a seat at her desk. 

 

The boy fidgeted awkwardly. "Good" he answered quietly. The nice woman nodded. "If you feel uncomfortable at all, just tell me. I can help fix it." 

 

Peter nodded, thinking for a moment about what she was saying and why she was saying it. She had asked if he was okay earlier. Did that have to do with her asking right now? 

 

"Am I allowed to talk to Ned?" He wondered aloud, eyes trained on his feet. "Of course, Peter! Do you like Ned?" His teacher replied. "He seems nice... he likes Legos" Peter replied. 

 

His teacher stood up and knelt down in front of him to meet his eyes. "Why don't you go eat lunch with him. I'm sure he's looking for some friends since he's new" she suggested. 

 

Peter tensed like a wooden board the moment he heard the word. 

 

_I need my mask. I need my mask. I need my mask._

 

"Peter?" His teacher asked worriedly. The boy swallowed tightly and shook his head. "N-not f-f-fr...." he took a shaky breath, "only desk mates."

 

"Okay. Alright. Why don't we go to the cafeteria, okay?" His teacher said softly. Peter nodded and grabbed his lunchbox. 

 

He walked with her down to the cafeteria, and nervously sat across from Ned, who was alone, at the table. 

 

"Hi" Ned smiled at him, looking relieved and excited. Peter gave him a soft, silent smile back. 

 

"I like Legos too" Peter said shyly, adjusting his glasses. "No way! What's your favorite build?" Ned asked, then took a bite of his sandwich. 

 

"I don't know... I've always wanted a Star Wars one..." Peter said, remembering that he should eat, and opening his lunchbox. 

 

Ned's face lit up like a firework. "My parents just got me the Millennium Falcon to make up for moving so suddenly! You should come over my house and help me!"

 

Peter froze, his eyes squeezing shut at the feeling that his body was suddenly falling. 

 

_"Help me, Einstein. Be a good guest. Be a good friend. You promised" Skip's voice panted as he towered over Peter._

 

"Peter!" Ned's voice broke through the haze and caused Peter to gasp. 

 

_Here. Present. School. Lunchroom._

 

"S-sorry" Peter fumbled, curling into himself as he took the first bite of his lunch. 

 

"You don't have to apologize" Ned stated quietly. He waited to see if Peter would speak more. He didn't. 

 

They ate in silence. 

 

 

Feeling guilty, terrified, and frustrated, Peter avoided Ned on the playground. Trying to go unnoticed, he sat on a swing, keeping his head down and making patterns in the mulch with his shoe.  He was ready to go home to May and Ben (and his mask).

 

Little did Peter know that Ned was approaching him from the side and four boys that Peter _really_ didn't like where coming from behind. 

 

"Get off our swing, Stewart Little" one of the boy's shouted, nearly causing Peter to fall he was so startled. Ned froze as Peter looked up at the boys surrounding him. 

 

"We called dibs on this swing set. Go be a loser somewhere else" one boy said. Peter swallowed, shifting his weight to stand up. It wasn't fast enough for them, though, because soon he was lying on the ground, breathing in a face full of dirt. 

 

"Hey!" Peter heard a familiar voice shout from not far away. He rolled onto his back to see Ned charging at the boys. 

 

"Look, it's the fat new kid, here to save Petey's day" one of the boy's teased, but Ned didn't so much as falter in his step. 

 

"If you wanna get to Peter, you have to go through me!" He snapped, crossing his arms as he stopped in front of them. Peter continued to watch disbelievingly from the ground. 

 

"As if it'd be hard" a bully snarled, looking him up and down. "What if I told you my Mom's the new Vice Principal? Mrs. Leeds? Do you want me to tell her you shouldn't get recess for a week?" Ned stated, raising his eyebrows. 

 

There was a long stretch of silence before one of the boys spoke. "Guys, I don't think he's joking."

 

They continued to stare each other down, testing willpower, when a teacher's voice sent everyone into panic. 

 

"What's going on over here?" One of the other fourth grade teachers asked as he approached them. 

 

"Nothing!" All four of the bullies yelled. The teacher looked at them, then at Ned, then down at Peter. The boy simply sat up, staying silent. 

 

"They pushed him off the swing, sir" Ned told the man, earning some glares. The teacher extended his hand out towards Peter, and the boy accepted the help in standing up. 

 

"Is that true?" The teacher asked him, his hands on his shoulders. 

 

Peter wished he would move his hands. Peter wished he wasn't touching him like that. He wanted to be alone again. He wanted to go home. He wanted to put his mask on and curl up on the couch with May and Ben. 

 

He nodded, backing away out of the man's grip. Peter tried to tune out the sounds of the bullies' protests as he quickly hurried away from the situation. 

 

_Get away. Get away. Get away._  

 

 

Uncle Ben handed him his mask when he got in the car that afternoon. Peter didn't hesitate to put it on. 

 

"How was your day, Pete?" Ben asked, hoping for the best. "How do I know who to trust? You said to stay around people I trust" Peter replied immediately, buckling his seatbelt and turning to his uncle. 

 

Ben sighed, turning the car off. "Tell me what happened, Pete."

 

"There's a new kid that I sit with and we have a lot in common, and I like him, but he invited me over his house and my teacher said we could be friends but I don't want any friends but he's nice and he stood up for me at recess and I wanna talk to him more but I get scared and I feel bad and it makes me feel sick to my stomach-"

 

" _Peter_ " Ben interrupted, "breathe." 

 

A plastic Iron Man mask fell against the man's shoulder in defeat. 

 

"Peter, you can have friends, alright? Before, you were lied to. That wasn't a friendship. It wasn't even close to a real friendship. A true friend won't hurt you intentionally. What's this boy's name?" Ben stated, feeling sick, himself. 

 

"Ned" Peter answered in a small voice. 

 

"Why don't you invite Ned over to _our_ apartment, if that makes you feel safer. I'm sure he'd have no problem with that. He's looking for people that are kind, same as you." Ben reasoned. Peter gave a small nod and sat up straight. 

 

"Will I ever feel better, Uncle Ben?" The boy asked, looking out the window. 

 

"Of course, kiddo. Of course" Ben replied, starting the car. Peter managed a small little smile from inside his mask. Maybe Ned would make him feel better. 

 

 

"Ned?" Peter asked quietly as the boy sat down the next morning. 

 

"Yeah?" Ned asked, freezing and looking at him. 

 

"I don't...I'm not... do you think I could still build the Millennium Falcon with you, but at my house?" Peter asked shyly, not able to look up at his desk mate. 

 

_Be brave. Be brave. Be brave._

 

"Seriously? Of course, Peter! I'm so excited!" Ned exclaimed, making Peter smile. 

 

And so it happened. Ned's parents dropped him off that Saturday with the Millennium Falcon Build, and the boy's got started immediately (under the watchful eyes of May, of course). 

 

Inconspicuously, Ben closed the door to speak with Mr. And Mrs. Leeds privately. 

 

"Thank you for taking Ned for a few hours. My cousin insisted on an 'adults only' wedding" Mrs. Leeds sighed. 

 

"No worries. If you have a moment, I was wondering if I could speak to you about Peter, though." Ben replied, nervously scratching the back of his head. 

 

"Yeah, we're running early. What is it?" Mr. Leeds asked. 

 

Ben took a deep breath. Where to start? 

 

"See, May and I are his aunt and uncle. His parents died in an accident when he was six. We're the last relatives he's got. The loss was... _hard_ on him, though. He's had trouble branching out and making friends. This is the first real playdate he's had in 3 years, and he was very nervous about it. 

 

"What I'm really trying to say, though... or, disclose? Peter was...well...assaulted...about a month ago. He's...he's still recovering mentally. So, he kind of freaked out when Ned initially invited him over. I just want you to be aware in case anything happens, or if Ned points out any weird or distressed behavior from Peter. 

 

"He's a good kid- a _great_ kid. He's just really in need of people to trust. So if Ned could be patient with him, as patient as a nine-year-old can be, that would be a blessing."

 

Ben legitimately wanted to throw up by the end of it. The thought of what that kid - _his_ kid - had gone through made him sick. 

 

"Oh my goodness... wow..." Mrs. Leeds breathed, a hand over her mouth and her eyes on the ground. 

 

"Thank you for telling us, Mr. Parker. We'll be as helpful as we can be. Peter, himself, is helping Ned a lot just by agreeing to hang out. The move wasn't exactly easy on him. I think these boys could use each other" Mr. Leeds added. 

 

"Call me Ben, really, and thank you for understanding. I didn't mean to drop this bomb of terrible information on you, but it felt wrong for you not to know" Ben replied. 

 

"Well, you have our number if you ever need us. Peter will _always_ be safe at our house. I know my promise means nothing when you've already faced something as terrible as you have, but just know it's genuine. And if Peter wants Ned over here till the day they graduate high school, that's okay." Mrs. Leeds confirmed. 

 

Ben was glad to hear that. 

 

Inside, Peter was laughing, smiling, _playing_. It almost moved May to tears. 

 

"Do you think Han and Leia got married and had a kid?" Ned asked. "Definitely" Peter responded without hesitation, inspecting a thin, black Lego. 

 

"Would the kid have The Force?" Ned questioned next. " _Definitely_ " Peter repeated. 

 

"Light or Dark side?" Ned then wondered. Peter froze, and looked at the other boy. " _Woah_... I don't know!" He gasped. "But Luke would train him, right? So he'd have to be light!" Ned replied. "But Vader, Ned! He'd have Vader's blood!" Peter pointed out. Ned's eyes went wide. " _Woah_ " he breathed, and the two boys laughed. 

 

This would go smoothly, May and Ben realized rather quickly. 

 

Peter Parker had a _real_ friend. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I legitimately almost cried writing this because what Skip did to Peter (EMOTIONALLY, TOO) is sick. It makes me feel nauseous. I have to get this out of my system.


	3. I'll Never Be the Same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Middle school health class confronts Peter with his least favorite topic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's going to be more and more detail about the assault in this chapter, and going forward. Stay safe, folks. Please be aware of the warnings!

 

7th grade. 

 

Peter Parker was 12. He'd been living with his Aunt and Uncle, officially, for longer than he had been alive at the same time as his parents. It hurt, but he didn't let himself think about it. He was happy, and that's what mattered. Happy, but stuck in puberty. He had somehow made it out of Elementary school, but he was now knee deep in braces, acne, and overall awkwardness. 

 

Unfortunately, the only thing more gross than middle school, was middle school Health class. Peter and Ned, still each other's only friends, had been dreading this class since they had first heard about it the year before. 

 

The Reproductive System. The educational "sex talk." The birth video. 

 

They'd heard about these things before, yes, but never in as much detail as 7th grade Health would provide. 

 

Peter sunk down next to Ned, rolling up the sleeves of his sweater. They exchanged a look of dread. It was the day of the "sex talk." 

 

It was Peter's least favorite topic. 

 

 

The whole class was cringing throughout the teacher's intro, awkwardly anticipating what was to come. When it was time for her to dive in, there was no holding back. 

 

"There are three ways sex can be performed. Oral, Anal, and Vaginal. Oral is by mouth, anal is by your anus, and vaginal..."

 

_Skip._

 

Peter was hit by a wave of nausea. 

 

_"Hey, Einstein."_

 

_God, no. Please, not now._

 

"To get pregnant, it must..."

 

_"It's a new game, but I think it might be fun. The closest friends play it."_

 

_Stop, Peter. Stop._

 

He couldn't hear the teacher anymore. 

 

_Hands. Terrible hands doing terrible things._

 

He should've known this would happen. 

 

_"Be good for me. Be quiet"_

 

_Focus, Peter. Focus on the teacher. You idiot. Focus._

 

"...male anatomy allows for anal and oral..."

 

_"Take it, Einstein. Take it!...good boy...up the ass."_

 

Peter swallowed, feeling his hands get sweaty and vision get blurry. 

 

_His face was pressed into the pillow as he screamed. The bed was rocking. Fingernails were digging into his hips._

 

"Intercourse is used often for pleasure, not just reproduction." His teacher kept talking. 

 

_"You made me feel good, Einstein. You're a good friend. That's how I know you'll make me feel good again. Try to play along this time."_

 

Peter gripped the desk so hard that his knuckles turned white. 

 

_Lips kissed Peter's neck_. 

 

"Peter" Ned whispered sharply as the teacher was getting something from her desk. 

 

_It hurts. It hurts. It hurts._

 

Peter couldn't breathe. 

 

_"Good boy... good boy..."_

 

"Peter!" Ned's voice cut through the fog. 

 

The world went dark. 

 

 

Peter opened his eyes to see the nurse, his teacher, and Ned all leaning over him. 

 

"Peter? Can you hear me?" The nurse asked calmly. He nodded, then cringed at the pain that the small action caused. 

 

"You passed out, Peter" Ned told him. The nurse started shining a light in his eyes, and he closed them almost immediately. 

 

"M' head hur's" he mumbled. 

 

"You hit your head on the floor when you fell. We're gonna take you to lay down in my office, alright?" The nurse informed him. 

 

Suddenly he was being lifted off the ground and placed a chair. Peter blinked a few times and looked around. The rest of the students were gone, and he was in a wheelchair. 

 

"I'm okay" He managed, but nobody looked appeased. 

 

"Have you had anything to drink today? Were you feeling ill before you fainted?" The nurse asked. 

 

"I'm okay" Peter repeated. "How about you go lay down in my office. I'll call someone to come pick you up" the nurse replied. 

 

Peter looked at Ned, feeling like he needed to catch up. 

 

"You should go home, Peter. You didn't look too good" The boy stated. 

 

That's when Peter looked past Ned and at what was written on the blackboard. 

 

"Sexual Intercourse and the Reproductive System," it said. 

 

He suddenly remembered why he passed out, and felt nauseous all over again. "I want to go home" he mumbled, his heart rate spiking and his hands feeling numb. 

 

"Okay, honey" the nurse said gently, moving behind him. Peter shakily stood up before she could start pushing the wheelchair. 

 

"Peter-" she began to protest. 

 

"I want to walk. I feel better standing" Peter interrupted. It was a lie, but he didn't want anyone behind him like that. 

 

_You don't know her well enough._

 

"Ned, how about you walk with us, just in case" the nurse suggested. 

 

Peter, now focused on his throbbing head, felt his friend's arm snake around his own. 

 

_You trust Ned._

 

"Let me know how you are, Peter," his teacher requested, getting the door for them. The whole class was out there in the hallway, trying to get a good look at Peter. 

 

"Back in class, everyone" the teacher hollered once Peter, Ned, and the nurse had all exited. Peter kept his eyes down, but he swore Flash was smiling at the act of him passing out during the Sex Talk. 

 

_Focus. Focus on Ned. Focus on going home._

 

"How does walking feel?" The nurse asked. 

 

"I wanna go home." Peter replied, unable to think of anything else at that point. 

 

He needed Ben, May, and his bed. 

 

"We'll get you home soon" the nurse replied. Ned steadied him as he wobbled around a turn. 

 

"Do you have any idea what might have caused you to faint?" The nurse questioned a second time. 

 

"Mhmm-hmm" Peter mumbled, closing his eyes. 

 

"What is it?" She asked. 

 

_No._

 

Peter felt Ned guide him through a doorway. "No" he said firmly. "No?" Ned asked. "No" Peter repeated. 

 

Ned pushed Peter gently down onto a bed. Peter opened his eyes and realized they were already in the Nurse's office. 

 

"Lay down, Peter. I'll call your Uncle" the nurse instructed. 

 

Peter had been to the nurses office a lot. Asthma, bullies, illness, etc. She had Ben's phone number memorized. 

 

"No" Peter replied even more firmly than before. "You'll feel better if you lay down" she said. " _No_ " Peter argued, "I wanna sit up."

 

The nurse sighed, looking defeated. "I'll go call your uncle. Ned, you can go back to class" the nurse stated. When the boy moved to leave, though, Peter grabbed his arm and shook his head. 

 

"Peter?" He asked as the nurse sat at her desk and started dialing the phone. "Stay" Peter whispered, tugging his friend's arm gently. 

 

Ned hesitantly obliged, taking a seat next to Peter. 

 

"What's going on, dude? Are you okay?" The boy whispered. Peter shrugged, because Ned didn't know. He had made a point all these years to make sure Ned would never know. He just couldn't tell the story again. 

 

"Nothing" he mumbled instead, leaning against his friend for support. "Was it what we were talking about in class, or did you just feel sick?" Ned persisted.

 

"I don't know, Ned. I just got lightheaded all of a sudden and passed out." Peter responded tiredly, closing his eyes. 

 

"Is there something you're not telling me, Peter? You can tell me anything," Ned admitted worriedly. 

 

"I just wanna sit quietly right now," Peter mumbled, and he felt as though the world was spinning. He found Ned's hand and squeezed it, then couldn't find the will to let go. 

 

"Your uncle is on his way, Peter. Ned, you can go back to class, sweetie," the nurse said from across the room. Peter gripped onto his friend even harder. 

 

"Miss, he doesn't want me to leave" Ned spoke up. Peter heard footsteps approach them, but he couldn't focus on them. His heart was beating out of his chest, his head was throbbing, and he still felt nauseous. 

 

_"Pete, I need to go. I'm sorry."_

 

_Ben was trying to leave for work after having spent three days straight by Peter's side after the accident._

 

_The little boy just clung on tighter, begging through his Iron Man mask._

 

"Peter" the nurse shook him gently. The boy opened his eyes to see her kneeling in front of him. 

 

"What's wrong, honey?" She nearly whispered as Ned shifted uncomfortably in the painful death-grip that Peter had him in. 

 

"Jus' my head" Peter lied in a nearly incoherent mumble. His body wanted fight or flight, but his brain wanted sleep. 

 

"You really should lay down, Peter" Ned spoke up. "It won't hurt as much" the nurse agreed. 

 

_"Relax, Einstein. Lay down for me."_

 

Peter shook his head again, doubling the grip he had on Ned. 

 

"I want Ben. I wanna go home" he said tightly, resisting how the nurse and Ned were both trying to ease him onto his back. 

 

"He's coming, Peter. He'll be here soon" Ned tried to assure him, but now Peter was crying, still trying to stay upright. 

 

"Please, I wanna sit up" he begged weakly, to dizzy to fight back physically and too panicked to not be listened to. 

 

"Alright. Okay. You can sit up, Peter. Could you lean against the wall, though? I want you to be comfortable" The nurse gave in, trying to make eye contact with the anxious 12-year-old. 

 

Peter nodded eagerly, and in no time he was resting his head on the wall behind him and his legs were stretched out over Ned's. 

 

When a 6th grader came in with a bloody nose, the nurse left the two of them alone. 

 

"Peter" Ned said softly. Peter hummed in response, still stuck in an anxiety attack that wouldn't seem to go down. 

 

Knowing he wouldn't get any answers out of his friend, Ned lifted Peter's legs off of his and scooted over next to his friend. He gently directed Peter's head to rest on the top of his own. Whatever was wrong, he'd be there for Peter. 

 

 

Within the hour, Ben was gently shaking Peter awake and leading him to the car. 

 

The moment the doors were closed, Peter curled into himself, finally breaking down. 

 

Ben leaned over and pulled the boy into his arms as loud, painful sobs filled the car. 

 

"It's okay, Pete. I'm here. I'm here," Ben comforted, pressing his lips into the top of the 12-year-old's head. 

 

It wasn't okay, though, and they both knew it. 

 

It wasn't okay that Ben would later have to call the school and get Peter excused from Health class until they finished the unit on the Reproductive System. It wasn't okay that Peter would be hiding in his bed with wet eyes for the next day and a half. It wasn't okay that a 9-year-old had been held down and raped. 

 

It wasn't okay. 

 

May and Ben were there for him, though, and after not going to school the next day, and not answering any text messages or phone calls, Peter got a visit from Ned. 

 

"Do you want him to come in, Pete? If not, I'll just tell him you're sleeping." Ben asked carefully, crouched next to Peter's bed. 

 

"He can come in" Peter nearly whispered, nodding. He wished his Iron Man mask still fit. He wished he could hide behind it and feel braver. 

 

Regardless, he'd been waiting for this. He'd prepared himself. He was ready to be a little less alone. 

 

 

"Peter!" Ned gasped, running to his bed and giving him a hug. Slowly, Peter sat up and motioned for his friend to join him. Ned plopped down on the bed, facing Peter with a look of nervous curiosity. 

 

"Ned, I-" a wave of nausea cut Peter off, so he took a moment to regroup. 

 

He couldn't use the word. He couldn't even think it. 

 

"If this is about why you passed out, you don't have to tell me. I'm just glad you're okay" Ned said seriously. That statement alone meant a lot to Peter, but he couldn't stay silent. 

 

"I want you to know" he replied, shaking his head. 

 

_Deep breath._

 

Ned nodded understandingly, then waited. Peter started fidgeting, trying to get something out. 

 

"I, uh... I was nine. It was about a month before I met you..." he began, trying to be numb and distant so he could just get it out. 

 

"I, um... someone... someone close to me made his first friend- but he wasn't a friend- because one day he did really bad things to the boy I know. The boy had to go to the doctor, and to the police. The boy was scared of making friends for a long time because of it. 

 

"He's uncomfortable around strangers. He's still scared, and he still feels it sometimes. He hates talking about sex because it makes him remember. He doesn't want to remember." Peter breathed, staring down at his hands. 

 

There was a moment of silence in which Ned processed what he had heard, and what it really meant. 

 

"Peter..." he breathed, reaching out his hand. Peter took it and held it tightly. 

 

"I'm always here, okay? This doesn't change our friendship. If you need me to leave you alone, I'll leave you alone. If you need a hug, I'll give you a hug. Whatever you need, alright? I'm here, though. I'm here" Ned said firmly. 

 

"I could use a hug" Peter croaked, tears starting to spill out of his eyes. Ned scooted closer to his best friend and embraced him. 

 

Peter was grateful to have his friend- his _real_ friend.  

 

 

When he went back to school the next day, Flash had dubbed him with the oh-so-fortunate nickname "Penis Parker" out of a rumor that the drawing of a penis the teacher had held up in Health class that day is what caused him to pass out. 

 

Ned was there for Peter, though. 

 

When the teasing for no longer attending Health started, Ned was still there. 

 

Ned didn't ask any questions about what had happened when Peter was nine. He didn't need to know anything else. What was important was that he'd always be there for his best friend. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter! It was the hardest one to write for some reason, but I made it through!


	4. Will It Ever End?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "They didn't think about the possibility that someone in that room had actually lived it, let alone as a kid. I wasn't drunk. I'm not a girl. I was awake. I was a kid."
> 
> -or-
> 
> Guidance Counselors talk about Sexual Assault/Harassment, and Peter's taken back to that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's even more graphic, everyone. Please be careful and head the fic warnings.

Peter loved school. He loved learning. That doesn't mean he'd ever say no to his physics class being pushed back a day so guidance could speak with the class, though. 

 

This always happened a few times a year, especially with their school being such an academically challenging one. 

 

This was normal. 

 

"Perfect timing, huh?" Ned murmured from next to him. Peter nodded with a soft laugh, watching one of the school counselors set up the projector. 

 

"Laptops and books away, class. I want you to give your full attention to Ms. Blake and Mr. Rosamund!" Their Physics teacher called from the back of the classroom. 

 

"College talk?" Ned asked curiously. "Most likely" Peter replied, stuffing his notebook back into his backpack. 

 

But not a moment later, the projector came on and the words "Sexual Assault Awareness" were displayed across the screen. 

 

_Skip._

 

Peter's mouth went dry as he looked at the title slide. His heart leapt. His breathing doubled. 

 

_SkipSkipSkipSkipSkipSkipSkip._

 

Of course this was happening. Of course, of all things they'd talk about, it'd be this. 

 

_Calm down, Peter. You idiot. It was seven years ago._

 

"Peter" Ned said softly, turning to him, "go if you need to." 

 

_Don't go. If you go, you haven't grown at all. You haven't moved on. You haven't toughened up. If you go, you're still weak._

 

What was he supposed to do? Get up and leave, basically telling everyone what had happened to him, or suffer silently? 

 

Was there enough time to leave and make it look natural? 

 

"Okay, folks. Today we're going to cover a rather heavy, but very important topic: sexual assault." One of the counselors began. 

 

Guess not. 

 

He already felt like he couldn't breathe. 

 

_Leave._

 

Ned was looking at him. 

 

_If you leave, he still has control over you._

 

He wanted to run. God, he wanted to run. 

 

I _f you leave, you're still afraid._

 

Peter stayed. He stayed in his seat and tried to be tough. He was strong now. He could stop a bus with his bare hands. He could be brave enough to sit through an hour of Sexual Assault information. 

 

Right? 

 

"Peter" He vaguely heard Ned whisper again, but he had to focus.  

 

_You're brave. You're strong. You're brave. You're strong. He's gone. You're here. You're normal._

 

He repeated it again and again in his head. 

 

_You're Spider-Man. You're a superhero. You've faced worse than him. He's nothing. You're something. You're Spider-Man._

 

By the time he had self-talked himself enough to gain even a fraction of confidence, they were in deep to the conversation. 

 

"Rape can happen between friends, too, so it's important to know where the line of consent is, and to not cross it" Peter heard when he started listening. 

 

Just like that, he was gone. 

 

_"S-Skip. I-I wanna go home"_

 

_"You promised. You can't have friends if you can't keep promises"_

 

_Moaning. Thrusting. Pushing. Pulling._

 

_Screaming. Laughter. Sobbing. Praises._

 

The memory was attacking Peter like strobe lights in a dark room. Moment by moment. Thought by thought. Word by word. Action by action. 

 

"If someone says 'no,' they mean 'no.' If someone tells you to stop, you stop." The counselor continued. 

 

_"I'll give you a treat if you let me take your clothes off" Skip told him,  running his hand gently through Peter's curls._

 

_"I don't wanna play, Skip" the nine-year-old repeated again._

 

_"You don't mean that, Einstein. We're best friends. None of my friends are as small and beautiful as you. I chose to play the friend game with you, Peter. Don't let me down, now" Skip breathed, looking the boy up and down._

 

_"I don't want t-"_

 

_"If you complain or refuse me one more time, Peter, I'll hurt you in a way friends would never hurt each other. Do you want that?" Skip threatened._

 

_Peter slammed his mouth shut, his lip quivering and tears still dripping down his cheeks. He shook his head._

 

_"Good. Now be a good boy and put your arms up" Skip replied with a smile, reaching for Peter's shirt._

 

Peter fazed back into reality for a brief moment, only to hear: "consent doesn't have to be verbalized to be denied, just as it doesn't have to be verbalized to be given." He was gone again in an instant. 

 

_"You're so beautiful, Peter. I'm so happy we're friends. You're so beautiful, damn." Skip breathed as he pulled Peter's shorts and underwear down._

 

_The boy moved his hands to cover himself. Skip pushed them away._

 

_"This is the second part of the game, Einstein. Touching. I touch you, you touch me, I touch you, etc. okay? You can touch any part of my body with any part of your body. This is the best way for friends to get close. I'll go first"_

 

Peter felt Ned's hand slide on top of his. He wished he could feel it more. 

 

_Skip's lips kissed Peter, and the boy looked down in horror. He was trembling, now._

 

_"Your turn, Peter. Don't disappoint.” Skip sighed, sitting up._

 

_Peter reached out and poked Skip's chest. There. Done. Skip grabbed his hand as he moved to pull it away, though._

 

_"That wasn't good enough, Peter. Make me feel good" He growled, moving Peter's hand back to his chest._

 

_Sniffling, Peter tried to think about what made him feel good. That's what Skip wanted, right?_

 

_He put his hand in Skip's hair and lightly scratched his head. Skip closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long breath._

 

_"Jesus, Einstein, you know just how to make me hard" Skip moaned, suddenly diving on top of Peter and kissing him on the lips. The boy shook his head, but Skip grabbed his jaw._

 

_"Don't make me hurt you, honey. Let me love you" Skip warned between kisses. His hand reached down and squeezed Peter's butt. His hips started grinding. Peter wanted to scream. He was sobbing, though, and that wasn't putting a lid on Skip's hunger._

 

"Rape isn't the only form of sexual assault or harassment. Touching, grabbing, and kissing without consent can all be included in the assault/harassment category."

 

_Skip flipped Peter onto his stomach and opened his legs._

 

_"Peter" Ned whispered again._

 

_Skip coated his fingers in something Peter couldn't see._

 

_"You're gonna make me feel so good, Peter. You're gonna be such a great friend" Skip breathed, and Peter lost his breath as a wet hand touched him, felt him, went_ in _him._

 

_One finger._

 

_Two._

 

_Three._

 

_Then they were gone._

 

_"Talk to me, Einstein. Say my same"  Skip ordered. "S-s-skip-p" Peter sobbed, his face pressed into a pillow._

 

_"F***" Skip cursed wetly, then leaned over Peter and thrusted forward._

 

Peter could no longer feel Ned's hand on his. He couldn't hear the counselors. He couldn't feel the clothes he was wearing or the seat he was on. 

 

He was escaping. He was almost there. He was so close. 

 

_Screaming. Thrusting. Curses. Praises. Pounding. Hands. Fingernails. Panting. Moaning. Sobbing. Humping. Grunting. Bruising. Begging._

 

He couldn't feel himself breathing. 

 

Almost there. 

 

_"I love you, Peter. God, I love you. I love you." Skip gasped._

 

Gone. 

 

Peter watched the counselors speak and flip through their slides. 

 

He couldn't hear them, though. He couldn't really see them, either. 

 

He was clean. He was free. He was gone. 

 

It felt so good. 

 

Time passed, he guessed. Soon, Ned was leading him out of the classroom along with everyone else. He started to walk towards his next class, not thinking about it. He wasn't thinking at all. Ned pulled him in the other direction, though. 

 

Soon they were outside. Was school over? Oh. Maybe it was. Peter didn't know or care. He was free. He was gone.

 

He looked over and saw that Ned was talking on the phone, then he looked at the sky. 

 

"Peter!" The boy vaguely heard from somewhere. "Yeah?" He asked, not feeling his mouth moving or really hearing himself too clearly. Did he actually speak? 

 

"Mr. Stark is coming, okay? May didn't answer" Ned said from somewhere. Mr. Stark? Oh, right. He knew Tony Stark, now. He had fought alongside him. 

 

Suddenly, Peter was sitting down. He didn't remember sitting, but he was okay with it. That didn't matter because he was gone, so he didn't have to worry. 

 

After a short amount of time, a very expensive car pulled over next to them. Ned stood Peter up, but Peter was looking at the car. 

 

What a nice car. 

 

He loved being free. 

 

"Kid" he heard a familiar voice say. Tony Stark. 

 

Hands grabbed his shoulders but he couldn't really feel them. Mr. Stark was looking him in the eyes. 

 

"He dissociated" He told Ned, who was standing worriedly behind him. 

 

Dissociated? He was free. 

 

"Peter, can you hear me?" Tony asked very clearly and slowly. Peter found himself nodding. 

 

"Name five things you can see, alright? Please?" Tony requested. 

 

Anything to make Mr. Stark happy. 

 

"You" Peter said blankly. He moved his eyes and saw Ned. "Ned" he voiced. Peter looked around. "Your car. The street. A building" he finished. 

 

Peter could feel his movements again. 

 

"Name four things you can touch, that you feel" Tony instructed. 

 

"You..." Peter thought about what he could feel. It all started to come back. "My shirt. My shoes. My socks. My pants." Peter finished, getting nervous. He could feel again. 

 

"What are three things you can hear?" Tony asked. It was a trick. "No" Peter refused, "stop." He could feel his clothes, and the wind, and Tony's hands on his shoulders. He hated it. He hated it. He _hated_ it. 

 

He had been free. 

 

"Trust me, Peter. Do you trust me? Name three things that you can hear" Tony replied. 

 

"You. The cars. The wind" he answered, and his sense of feeling was growing. He started to tremble. 

 

"Stop" he begged, not wanted to go back. If he can't feel anything, he can't feel that day. He never wanted to feel that day again. 

 

"Almost done, Peter. What are two things you can smell?" Tony urged. "You and gasoline" Peter replied, starting to panic. 

 

"What's something you can taste, Peter?" Tony asked. "Salt" Peter replied, having realized only then that he was crying. 

 

He could feel everything. 

 

Peter nearly collapsed into Tony's arms, consumed by a wave of exhaustion and fear. 

 

"I've got you. Don't worry, I've got you" Tony murmured, wrapping his arms around Peter and leading him to his car. 

 

"What now, Mr. Stark?" Ned asked worriedly. "I'm going to take him back to his apartment. You go back to school and get his stuff and explain I had to pick him up, but not why. What Peter needs now is a good nap" Tony replied, opening the door and sliding into the backseat with the boy. 

 

"To his apartment, Happy, step on it" Tony ordered, resting Peter's head on his lap. 

 

"'m sorry" Peter mumbled, sniffling. "No apologies needed, kiddo. Just rest" Tony replied as the car started to move. 

 

"What happened?" Happy asked worriedly, glancing back at Peter in the rearview mirror. 

 

"I don't know, but he dissociated like a pro" Tony replied. 

 

"Does his friend know?" Happy asked. "Wouldn't tell me" Tony responded shortly, then looked down at Peter. He was gripping the man's kneecap like his life depended on it. 

 

Tony just wished the kid could have it easy for once. 

 

 

After a silent car ride, Tony shook Peter awake and led him up to his apartment. 

 

"Thanks M'rr S'ark" Peter mumbled as Tony held the door open for him. Peter collapsed onto the couch and Tony knelt down next to him. 

 

"I'm always here if you need me, Pete. Remember that" He said softly, causing a small smile to appear on Peter's face before he fell asleep again. 

 

Tony put a pillow under his head and covered him with a blanket, then took a seat in the kitchen and answered some emails until Peter was fully conscious and insisted religiously that he was fine and Tony could leave. Still, Tony stayed until May got home. 

 

When Peter and his aunt were finally alone, Peter sat on the couch with her, trying to not collapse under her worried gaze. 

 

"Guidance was giving a talk on sexual assault, May" Peter eventually said under his breath. Just like that, May's whole expression changed, as it always did. 

 

"Honey..." she breathed heavily, closing her eyes. Peter swallowed, feeling as though the weight of seven years was falling over him. He couldn't keep his eyes from watering, or his lips from quivering. 

 

It just hurt so _badly_. And it never, ever stopped. 

 

"I..." he gulped, wiping at his eyes quickly. "I can't _live_ , May. He- he's there every time someone touches me. I can still hear him, and see him, and _feel_ him. I just want to forget. 

 

"And at school, kids talk about sex because they have the choice. They can choose to wait, or who they want their first to be. I didn't get that choice. I want to have the choice. I want to know what it feels like to want something like that. I want to be normal, May. 

 

"They- they talk about assault as if it could never happen. They talked to us as if it could never happen to men. They didn't think about the possibility that someone in that room had actually _lived_ it, let alone as a kid. I wasn't drunk. I'm not a girl. I was awake. I was a kid. I want to know what it's like to not know. 

 

"But I can't _forget_. I remember every detail. He took so much from me and I remember every detail. I don't want to remember, May. I'm tired of remembering" Peter spoke with a shaky, wet voice. He wiped his eyes rather aggressively once he finished speaking. 

 

His aunt's arms were curled around him before he could process it. Peter nuzzled into her, craving the safe space in her arms. 

 

He didn't want to be scared, but he was. He always was. 

 

"It still makes me sick to my stomach, baby, and I wish that this wasn't your reality. I can't tell you how strong you are to have made it to this point, though. You're stronger than I could've been. 

 

"And Peter, I know you want to forget, but you can make it through this. You've come this far."

 

May was running her hand through Peter's curls calmingly, he closed his eyes and focused on it. 

 

"I should've left" he mumbled defeatedly. 

 

"Why didn't you?" May asked as she rested her chin on his head. 

 

"I thought if I left, it made me weak.  It meant he still had control. Leaving...seemed worse. I don't know. It was stupid. I was stupid." Peter replied. 

 

"You aren't stupid, Peter." May responded immediately. 

 

"Arguable" Peter mumbled. 

 

" _Hey_. Remember what Rose kept telling you? That you need to be less hard on yourself when you're feeling anxious." May reminded him. 

 

Peter let out a week laugh. 

 

"Easier said than done... Plus, Rose wasn't specifying an entire class of people knowing something probably happened to you because you left and never came back during a class about harassment... _especially_ if it was me."

 

"Peter, you don't always have to put on a brave face. It's okay if you're not over it. It's not a part of your life that you can just ignore until it goes away." May said firmly, but gently. 

 

Peter found himself taking a deep breath. He wished he could go back in time. There was so much he would change... so much.  

 

"I'm sorry" he breathed, wishing he didn't have to put May through all of the torture with him and his notoriously bad luck. 

 

"You did _not_ just apologize, Peter" May sighed, lifting her head off of his. 

 

“ _May._ " 

 

"No. You need to be easier on yourself. From this point on, if you need to leave, you leave. If you need the day off, you take the damn day off. You've earned a break, Peter." May replied. 

 

"I didn't earn anything. Things just happen to me. I'm not-"

 

" _Promise me_ , Peter. Promise me that you will be honest with yourself from now on. If even a shadow of a doubt tells you to stop, you'll stop. Okay? You don't have anything to prove." 

 

Peter opened his eyes and looked up at his aunt. 

 

"Thank you" he gave her a weak but grateful smile. May smiled back and kissed his forehead in response. 

 

"I need to stay home tomorrow. I need a break" Peter then stated, and that alone was a huge, huge step for him. May was actually taken aback. 

 

"Okay, Peter. I'm proud of you." She replied, and Peter snuggled in a bit closer. 

 

Together, they put on a movie and ordered some take-out. 

 

Going forward,Peter couldn't help but think about how much it still hurt, and just how many breaks he'd be taking. He just wanted to be free. 

 

Would he ever be, though? Or would his life be a series of panic attacks over traumas ranging from losing his parents and uncle, to his Spider-Man patrols, to being...assaulted. 

 

Would it ever end? He just wanted it to end. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually felt nauseas writing this one...yayyyyy for needing to write out emotions... I'm also debating where to end this. The next chapter brings Tony in even more, but I don't know if I should continue beyond that or not. I considered having him come face to face with Skip again, but I'm not sure. Please give me your thoughts and opinions!


	5. Say the Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iron Man was always the one to keep him safe. He always would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so The Kite Runner broke me...so here's this chapter. (:

 

Peter and Tony had made movie nights a routine thing. 

 

Every Friday, Peter would go to the Tower and they'd either watch a movie that one of them had seen a thousand times, or they'd go completely blind and pick a random movie without reading any descriptions or summaries. It was one of the latter nights again, and Peter was looking for the 17th movie that started with the letter K (as decided beforehand to avoid bias) as Tony set a box of Pizza on the coffee table. 

 

"Kite Runner. I've heard of it, but I know nothing about it" Peter stated, selecting the movie. "Likewise. Hit play, Spider-Boy" Tony replied as he fell down onto the couch next to Peter. 

 

Peter playfully rolled his eyes, started the movie, and grabbed a slice of pizza from the box. 

 

 

"How 'bout that" Tony smiled at the screen, having just watched Amir and Hassan win the kite-flying tournament. 

 

"Impressive" Peter nodded after swallowing the last bite of his fourth piece of pizza. 

 

They continued to watch as Amir was lifted into the air and Hassan went to run the kite. 

 

"Shit" Peter cursed. 

 

"Language, kiddo" Tony joked. 

 

"The bullies saw Hassan running alone" Peter pointed out nervously. 

 

"Oh, shit" Tony gasped, sitting up a bit. Peter looked at him and laughed. Tony just playfully nudged him. 

 

They watched as Amir found Hassan cornered by the bullies. 

 

_Déjà vu._

 

"Help him" Peter whispered anxiously as Amir was frozen in fear, out of the bullies' line of sight. Hassan wouldn't hand the kite over. 

 

"As you wish. Keep it. So it will always remind you of what I'm about to do to you." One of the bullies warned, just before Hassan was thrown to the ground. 

 

"Jesus..." Tony said under his breath as the teenagers started to beat the helpless boy. 

 

It was when Hassan's pants were pulled down that Peter froze. 

 

_Skip._

 

Peter closed his eyes. 

 

_Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath._

 

He heard the sound of a belt unbuckling on the TV. 

 

_"Take me, Peter... Take-" Skip cut himself off with a gasp of pleasure. Peter's backside exploded with pain as Skip pushed in the rest of the way._

 

Peter started to shake. 

 

_Remember what Aunt May told you a few weeks ago. Remember._

 

_"If even a shadow of a doubt tells you to stop, you'll stop. Okay? You don't have anything to prove."_

 

Without waiting another moment, Peter opened his eyes, reached for the remote, and turned the television off. 

 

_Breathe._

 

Tony turned to him worriedly. 

 

"Are you okay, Pete?" He asked, sitting up. 

 

_SkipSkipSkipSkipSkipSkipSkipSkip._

 

_Be honest, Peter._

 

Peter shook his head. He wasn't ready to speak quite yet, but he definitely wasn't okay. 

 

_"So tight. You_ angel _. You're so tight and perfect."_

 

"Was it the movie?" Tony asked worriedly, and this time Peter nodded. 

 

_"Such a good boy."_

 

He was breathing heavily, but he now he just had to turn his thoughts off. 

 

_Skip fell over Peter, shuddering as the little boy felt something warm and wet fill him._

 

"What can I do for you, Peter? How can I help you?" The older man was getting nervous, watching Peter ride out an anxiety attack- something all too familiar to him. 

 

_Skip kissed the back of his neck, praising and thanking him._  

 

"Distract me" Peter nearly begged, his cheeks getting wet with tears. 

 

"I'm working on a version of your suit that is more durable. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I figure you can help me work on it." Tony began nervously, watching a kid he would give his life for struggle to take a deep breath. 

 

_Tony. New suit. Focus. Tony. Spider-Man. New suit._

 

_Skip._

 

_Focus, Peter._

 

_Tony. New suit. New suit. New suit. Durable. More durable new suit._

 

"T-t-titanium al-loy?" Peter stuttered, forcing a smile. 

 

_"Good boy."_

 

_Focus._

 

"Oh, so you want to be Iron Man? I see. Maybe we can make that work, kiddo. Got any ideas, Einstein?" Tony asked. 

 

_Einstein. Einstein. Einstein. Einstein._

 

"Don't call me that" Peter snapped. 

 

_Focus. Focus. Focus._

 

_"Open your legs, Einstein. It's time to clean you up a bit" Skip was standing over him with a wet cloth. Peter was shaking, curled in a tight ball. He had already seen the blood. There was so much blood._

 

"I won't. I'm sorry. Why don't we come up with a plan for that suit? Does that sound good? Titanium alloy would work in a very thin, flexible form. We can try out a bunch of different options. That's aways the fun part, right?" Tony was getting flustered, but he did his best to keep himself together. Peter needed him. 

 

_Skip tilted Peter's head up and gently kissed his hairline._

 

_Focus, Peter. Focus on Tony._

 

"Y-yeah" Peter forced out. 

 

_Skip._

 

_Tony._

 

_Skip._

 

_Tony._

 

_Tony. Tony. Tony. Tony. Tony._

 

"Light in w-weight, t-too" Peter managed, opening his eyes. 

 

_Here. The tower. Present. Here._

 

"Of course, kiddo. Maybe even bullet proof" Tony added. 

 

"Vibranium" Peter joked, looking over at Tony. The man seemed to relax a bit, and just seeing Tony relax made Peter relax. 

 

"I'm not sure how Wakanda would feel about about that, but I'm up for asking" Tony sighed, leaning against the back of the couch again 

 

"Seriously?" Peter gasped, and Tony nodded. That's when silence finally caught up to them - thick and heavy. 

 

Peter swallowed uncomfortably as Tony watched him. 

 

The silence hurt. Peter felt it deep in his chest, aching and screaming to be ended. There was so much the boy had to say, and it was clawing it's way up his throat, not letting him keep it in anymore. It was poison. 

 

_Say the word._

 

Peter took a deep breath, breaking the eye contact that he and Tony had been holding. 

 

_Say it. May told you to do what you need to do to feel better. You need to say the word. Say his name. You'll never have to say it again once you do._

 

Peter hadn't had ever used the r-word. He hadn't had said his "friend"'s name since he was nine. He had always been too afraid. 

 

But, here was Iron Man. Here was the person behind the mask that Peter had pretended to be so often as a child. If Peter could tell Iron Man, the hero that kept him safe and alive when he refused to leave his bed for days, he'd feel better, right? He'd have closure. 

 

_You don't have to be afraid anymore. You have Iron Man. You have Tony Stark. He's here with you. He made you your own mask. He cares about you. He's your suit of armor._

 

_You trust Tony._

 

Peter swallowed again, took another deep breath, then looked at his hero. 

 

_"My first friend, Skip, raped me when I was nine."_

 

He said it without thinking or breathing. 

 

_You did it._

 

Tony's face went pale. 

 

"He was 17. I was over at his house that day. He called me Einstein. It was my nickname." Peter couldn't stop talking, suddenly. Weight was being lifted off his shoulders and it felt so good - so freeing. 

 

"Peter" Tony's voice cracked at the simple word. Peter shook his head. He needed to get it out. 

 

"I haven't said his name since I told Ben and May. I've never used the r-word until now. I didn't want to be Ned's friend at first because the word 'friend' scared me. I passed out in 7th grade health class when the teacher was talking about sex. I dissociated during a surprise talk on sexual harassment at school a few weeks ago. I can't breathe when I think about it. 

 

"But I used to wear an Iron Man mask around all the time as a kid. I didn't take it off for a few weeks after what happened. It made me feel brave. _You_ make me feel brave."

 

Peter swallowed. 

 

"I _hate_ him. I'm still scared. His prison sentence will end in a few years, and the thought of it makes me nauseas. I hate myself for being scared. I hate him for doing this to me. I hate that I can't be normal. I _hate_ him...but I want to move on, Tony." 

 

Peter felt as though he was floating by the time he got it all out. 

 

All Tony was able to do was open his arms. Peter crawled into them without hesitation, and the warm embrace was something he'd been waiting for for a long, long time. 

 

"You're the bravest person I know, Peter Parker" Tony stated, holding the teenager close. It was one of the most amazing things Peter had ever heard. 

 

Just like that, the dam broke and he finally started to cry. 

 

_You're brave._

 

"He'll never leave prison, either. I'll see to it. I'm sure May gave the school a piece of her mind about that talk, too." Tony continued. Peter just squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his face gratefully into Tony's chest. 

 

"Is there anything else you need to get off your chest, Pete? If so, you can say it. I'm here." Tony whispered. 

 

As a matter of fact, there was. 

 

_Say it. Be free._

 

"He...he took my body from me. He made me dirty. Growing up knowing that not even your own body... it's-it's not _yours_ anymore... and everyone else gets to have their own, but I lost that privacy. He _t-took_ it." Peter said shakily, still pressed into Tony. 

 

"You're still you, Peter. He didn't take you away. He mistreated you. He hurt you. He didn't take your body. You aren't dirty."

 

"You don't get it. He's _in_ me. He was my first kiss. He was my first time. He was my first friend and he stole me and everything that I was and I'm never gonna get it back, and nobody _understands_."

 

Tony felt sick at the words Peter was saying, but also realized his mistake. He took a deep breath, knowing that no matter how hard it was to hear or accept, he had to let Peter say it. The boy had earned that right long ago. 

 

"Help me understand, kiddo. Please. I just want to help you."

 

"Kids...kids in school talk about who's still a virgin. Some people call it pure or clean. Some call it innocent. I'm not those things. He-he took the one thing that was supposed to be _mine_. I don't get to be innocent. I don't get to be normal. There's already enough about me and my life that's screwed up and I don't even get to-" Peter took a deep breath. 

 

"It's _bullshit_." He spat, then wiped at his eyes. 

 

"It is," Tony agreed quietly, "it's a f***ed up piece of hot, smelly bullshit, and it's not fair." 

 

"Life isn't fair" Peter mumbled. 

 

"Yeah, kiddo, unfortunately that's a lesson we've both learned repeatedly. You've got me, though, okay? You've got me." Tony replied with a sigh. 

 

"I know." Peter smiled softly, grateful. He knew he'd always have Tony. 

 

"Good, now how about we watch Empire Strikes Back, instead? Maybe we can make some super unhealthy desert to go with it." Tony suggested. 

 

Peter pulled back from Tony's chest, sniffling. "Ice cream sundaes?" He asked with a hopeful smile. 

 

"You read my mind, Spider-Boy." Tony ruffled Peter's hair, then pulled him in for another hug, unable to help himself. 

 

"Anything you need, alright? Name it. I care about you, Pete." He said softly, burying his face in the boy's curls. Peter actually got a small adrenaline rush from hearing his hero say that, but it turned to comfort on a dime when he realized it was _real_. 

 

"Can...can we just stay like this for a while?" Peter asked, his voice muffled against Tony's chest. He felt braver than he ever had before, but he was tired, now. 

 

"Gladly, Pete" Tony replied, pulling him a bit closer. Peter nuzzled in, curling his legs in and relaxing in his mentor's arms.  He felt Tony kiss his head softly. 

 

And he never wanted to leave. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to do one more chapter after this. I've written it, but I've been debating deleting it and going a different route. I don't know. I just want to do Peter's story justice. (Also, guys, I added to chapter one to have some closure. It's twice as long now. I don't think I'll post it, though, because it goes into detail regarding the event and the direct aftermath (including the doctor's appointment, needing to go to the bathroom, needing to shower, etc.) It was haunting me so I wrote it. Story of my life.


	6. Who's the Hero?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter deals with facing Skip again, and has to face a terrible truth. 
> 
> All he wants is closure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait. I was so worried about not doing this story justice. I've literally written like five endings, but with all that's going on in the country right now (*cough cough* Supreme Court...) I just felt a responsibility to publish this version. 
> 
> This IS the final chapter. I added a Chapter 7 slot so I could add my extended first chapter, for those of you who wanted to read it. It goes into the actual rape, and Peter's experiences with May and Ben, and at the doctor after that. I won't be offended if you don't read it, because I almost got sick writing it. 
> 
> ANYWAY, enjoy, guys! Thanks for sticking with me!

 

In a few days, Peter would graduate from Midtown. Years worth of blood, sweat, and tears (literally) were finally paying off in a high school diploma.  To celebrate Peter's last day of school, May and Tony were taking him to Coney Island for the day. 

 

It was beautiful out, and after exhausting themselves with rides and carnival games, they took a seat on the beach and watched the sunset. 

 

Peter's spider sense had gone from a tingle to a buzz, but the mere fact of being in such a crowded place on one of the warmest nights of the year so far caused Peter not to think twice about it. 

 

"I'm so proud of you, Peter. You worked so hard." May sighed, bumping shoulders with him lightly. 

 

"I'll miss it, though." Peter replied softly, making patterns in the sand with his finger. 

 

"You'll love college, kid. You'll love the freedom. You'll blow MIT out of the water. Ned, too." Tony piped up. 

 

"But it's not where you guys are... it's in a whole other city..." Peter explained, his eyes on the sand. 

 

"Boston's one of my favorite cities, Pete. Explore it. I know that you'll love it." Tony stated. 

 

"And if you don't, you can always transfer. I'm sure you'll have fun, though. Trust us." May added. 

 

Peter gave a small nod, then looked back up at the sunset. 

 

Once the big, bright ball of fire dipped below the horizon, Tony stood up and stretched. 

 

"Okay, are you two up for a box of pizza? On me." Tony asked, wiping the sand off his trousers. "Sounds good" Peter agreed, moving to stand up. 

 

"No, no, Spiderling. You two relax. I'll be back in a few minutes." Tony insisted. 

 

"Thanks, Tony." Peter smiled. "Yes, thank you" May agreed. The billionaire simply waved them off, the headed away and towards a pizza place nearby. 

 

When he left, Peter's spider sense buzzed a little stronger. 

 

"Peter, honey, would you mind if I just went to the bathroom really quickly? I hate to leave you alone" May asked guiltily. 

 

"Gosh, May, _no_. Go to the bathroom! I'll be fine. I'm literally just gonna keep sitting here." Peter laughed, nudging her away. 

 

Plus, if there was a valid reason for his spider sense going nuts, then he wanted May as far from it as possible. 

 

May obediently got up and left, and suddenly Peter was even more on edge. It grew by the second until he had goosebumps all over. 

 

 _Look_. 

 

He looked around and, of course, there was a man walking towards him. Immediately, Peter's entire body froze. 

 

He knew that bleach blonde hair. He knew those broad shoulders. He'd seen that walk before. He recognized the man's smell. Even the sound of his breathing was all too familiar. 

 

 _Skip_. 

 

"Is that you, Einstein?" A terrifyingly familiar voice asked. Peter couldn't respond. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything. 

 

_This isn't real._

 

_This isn't possible._

 

The man was sitting down next to Peter, now. It was happening too fast. Too soon. 

 

_You're Spider-Man. Do something, Peter. Leave._

 

He couldn't. 

 

"I was just sitting here on the beach, thinking about _you_ , actually, and then suddenly I see you, your aunt, and Tony F***ing Stark sit down a little ways away from me. That in and of itself was incredible, but then they _left you here?_ It's like you were trying to get alone with me, Einstein." 

 

Skip put his hand on Peter's knee. 

 

 _Move_. 

 

The teen was still frozen in place. 

 

_This isn't real. This can't be real._

 

"I can't pretend all is forgiven, though, Peter. You did a very bad thing all those years ago. If it wasn't for good behavior, I'd still be eating prison food. I missed almost a decade of my life because of you, Peter. I gave you the best experience of your life. I gave you the _privilege_ of being my friend, and that was how you thanked me?"

 

_Speak, Peter, Speak._

 

But his mouth was so dry and his jaw was shaking along with the rest of him. 

 

_It wasn't a privilege. It was the worst day of my life. It was a nightmare. Skip was a nightmare._

 

"Have to admit, though, thinking of you got me through a nine-year prison sentence. You made me feel good even when you weren't there. Did you think about me too, Peter?" 

 

 _Speak. Say no. Speak_. 

 

"L-leave m-me al-lone" he stuttered, feeling sick to his stomach. 

 

"I left you alone for nine years, Peter..."

 

_No you didn't. You were always there._

 

"...I think it's time you and I got caught up." Skip slid his hand up and down Peter's thigh. 

 

_No no no nonononono!_

 

"Jesus, Einstein, you've got some muscle now. Glasses are gone, too. Puberty treated you well. It's a shame I missed it." 

 

 _For the love of God, Peter,_ move. 

 

He was still frozen, though. He was so stiff it was starting to hurt. He couldn't move. Why couldn't he move? It was going to happen again and he couldn't move _again_. 

 

Skip's hand left his leg. 

 

 _Breathe_. 

 

"You're somehow even more beautiful than you were then" Skip was suddenly so close that Peter felt his breath on his ear. 

 

"Stop" Peter croaked, wanting to close his eyes but not wanting to take his eyes off of Skip. 

 

"If you wanted me to, you would have left already. I'm closer to you than anyone else, Einstein. You know that. That's why you're here. You were a good boy then. Be a good boy now." Skip lightly grabbed Peter's jaw and turned the boy's head to face him. 

 

 _That face_. Peter had tried to forget that face for so long but here it was, burning itself into his brain once again. 

 

"Where'd they go, Einstein? How much time do we have?" Skip asked. 

 

"Bathroom and food" Peter answered, not knowing why. He just wanted to run away. Why couldn't he run away? 

 

"I'd prefer more time than that, but I'm free as a bird, now, so if you're a good boy and keep this a _secret_ , we can both enjoy some time together going forward. Alright?" 

 

Peter nodded. 

 

_Why are you nodding? You idiot. Move. Run._

 

But when Skip kissed him, he was still frozen. 

 

Everything inside him was screaming, begging him to move. For some unknown, stupid reason, he _couldn't_. 

 

He couldn't even cry. There were no tears. He was only frozen. 

 

He felt Skip smile as the one-way kiss ended. He wanted to throw up. He wanted to scream. He wanted to die. 

 

"Let's go somewhere, Einstein. As much as I would like to feel myself in you by the ocean, I'm afraid we won't have the time we need." 

 

Peter felt his head shaking before he could think about it. 

 

"I could treat you like a friend, Peter, or I could treat you like the piece of shit that got me arrested. Either way, you're giving me what I've waited for." Skip's lips brushed against his ear. 

 

Peter shook his head again. 

 

_God, Peter, move. MOVE._

 

"P-please leave me alone" Peter said in a small voice as Skip focused on his neck, kissing and biting. 

 

"You keep saying that, but you aren't going anywhere." Skip reminded him between kisses. 

 

_He's making you dirty. You were finally starting to feel clean._

 

Skip's lips moved with a little bit more force. 

 

_Move. If you don't move, it'll happen again. If it happens again, he'll have taken all of you. Don't let him take the rest. Move, Peter, move._

 

Peter slammed his eyes shut and focused all of his energy on traveling backwards, then managed to move about an inch. 

 

 _More_. 

 

"None of that, Einstein" Skip reprimanded, shaking his head. In response, Peter scooted back again, this time much more successful. His adrenaline was now pumping. He could get away. He could get away. _He could get away._  

 

The moment Skip started to crawl towards him, he raised his hand and slapped the man across the face. That small act alone opened up a small box of relief in Peter that he had been trying to pry open for nine years. It was as though the world stopped. 

 

He could practically hear his own heartbeat as he continued to scoot away through the sand. The feeling of power was still lingering on his fingertips, but it was fading quickly. 

 

Skip's eyes had darkened in an instant, sending a chill up and down Peter's spine. It wasn't just anger in his eyes. There was hunger. Peter quickly rolled around and tried to stand up. The moment he did, Skip was diving on top of him. 

 

The man shoved his face into the sand and grabbed the waistline of Peter's pants. 

 

 _No_. 

 

Peter pushed himself to his hands and knees, knocking Skip off of him. 

 

Coughing and trying to get the sand out of his mouth, Peter shakily stood up at the same time as Skip. 

 

_Come on, Spider-Man. Come on, Peter._

 

"You've gotten stronger, Einstein. It's attractive. It'll be even more rewarding this time when I-" 

 

Peter cut Skip off by charging at him and knocking him to the ground. 

 

He got the chance to send one punch into Skip's face before the man forced Peter to the ground and got on top of him. 

 

He was angry. Peter had never seen him so angry. And Peter knew he should be scared, but all he felt was rage. 

 

"I'll f*** you bloody, Einstein." Skip growled, his own fists sailing down onto Peter's face. 

 

When Peter got the chance, he caught one of Skip's fists in the air and held it tightly. In response, Skip reached down between Peter's legs, causing the boy to let go and squirm until he was on his stomach. 

 

Skip grabbed his hair, forcefully lifted his head, then shoved it back down into the sand. Then he did it again, and again, and again. He stopped when Peter was choking on sand and trying desperately to inhale a deep breath. 

 

"You're asking for it, Peter. You're asking for me." Skip threatened loudly in Peter's ear, reaching down. 

 

_No._

 

_He won't win this time._

 

Peter tried to ignore the sand in his lungs and attempted to push himself up to his knees again. He failed due to Skip using his free hand to shove his head into the sand again. 

 

The hand slid under his shorts. 

 

_No._

 

_Come on, Peter._

 

Peter's stomach started to cramp, as he struggled for a breath that didn't inhale sand. 

 

_You're stronger. Come on. You've lifted a building off of your back. You can fight this. You can fight him._

 

It was only because of who Peter was fighting that he could barely fight back. His body still wanted to shut down. He still wanted to curl in a ball and act like it wasn't real. 

 

But it was. Skips hand was feeling him. He couldn't breathe. There was sand in his lungs. Nobody was there to help him last time, and nobody would be there to help him this time. He was alone with the person he feared most in the world, and there were two possible outcomes. 

 

When Skip moved his hand off of Peter's head to reach for the boy's shorts again, Peter looked up and inhaled the fullest deep breath that he could. 

 

_Focus. Act first, breathe second._

 

Before Skip could accomplish anything more than a tug on his waistline, Peter was knocking him backwards and stumbling onto his feet. He spit, hoping to get some of the sand out of his mouth. 

 

Across from him, Skip got to his feet. His expression was different, now. Peter kept his eyes on him, not daring to look away for a second. 

 

"You've stalled, unfortunately..." He sighed, letting out a sad laugh after. 

 

"If it's not you, it's someone else. Little boys aren't hard to find."

 

Peter felt sick to his stomach. He shook his head in denial. 

 

"What? Do you think you were the first one? Before I found you at the library, there was the playground, school, _babysitting_. You were the best, though. Definitely the best. So small and eager."

 

_No. God, no._

 

_Stop him._

 

Skip looked him up and down once more. Peter chanced a glance towards the bathrooms. He could see May on her way back, but still about 100 meters out. 

 

"Take your pick, Einstein." Skip taunted, moving closer. 

 

_Be Spider-Man._

 

 _Spider-Man can fight Skip Wescott. You're Spider-Man, Peter._  

 

"Me. Just me." Peter said firmly, causing Skip to smile. The man was just an arm's length away, now. Peter, still wheezing from his unfortunate inhalation of sand, clung to the piece of anger inside him that was still stronger than fear. 

 

"No telling on me this time, alright? I believe we can be good friends again. If you don't think so, I'll find a new one." Skip warned, stepping closer again and running his thumb along Peter's jawline. 

 

_Make him happy._

 

Peter nodded obediently, and Skip's fingers moved to his lips. The man stepped closer, and Peter was proud of himself for not cowering away. 

 

_Brave. You're brave._

 

"Meet me outside your apartment building tomorrow night at 10. Don't be late. I've already done enough waiting." Skip said under his breath before kissing Peter once again. 

 

_Focus. Be strong. He's about to walk away. He's about to turn his back to you. Just a few moments. Come on, Peter._

 

When Skip finally backed away, he frowned at Peter. 

 

"I expect you to kiss back next time, alright? Practice on your teddy bear if you need to."

 

Skip looked him up and down once more, then turned to walk away. Peter's fists immediately clenched. 

 

_He hurt you._

 

_He broke you._

 

_He stole from you._

 

_He took your childhood. You couldn't leave your bed. Ben and May had to help you undress and shower because you were too scared. You couldn't make friends. You couldn't go to health class. You couldn't be a teenager._

 

_He's the reason you're not normal. He's the reason you're dirty._

 

_Now he's threatening to put more kids through the same thing. He's threatening to steal what's left of you._

 

_He's evil._

 

_He's getting away._

 

Without the slightest bit of hesitation, Peter charged at Skip, easily knocked him down, and held him there. 

 

He heard his aunt calling his name. Skip was cursing at him, trying (and failing) to wiggle free. 

 

 _Focus_. 

 

Peter continued to wheeze and choke on sand, but his grip on Skip Wescott didn't once falter. 

 

"No more" he said firmly to the man under him. Skip continued to struggle, threatening Peter with the worst things imaginable. Peter didn't let go, though. 

 

May finally came to a stop beside them, flustered and worried. 

 

"Peter, what are you doing? Wh-" she stopped speaking when she saw Skip's face. 

 

"Call Tony." Peter instructed her, and May fumbled with her phone until it was pressed to her ear. 

 

"Tony?...you need to come to the beach, _now_...yes..." May said, then hung up. 

 

When the phone was back in her pocket, she took a step towards Skip, horrified and disgusted. 

 

"What are you doing here?" She asked breathlessly. 

 

"I was just having a conversation with Einstein, that's all" Skip answered calmly. May glanced at Peter, who suddenly felt incapable of looking up at her. 

 

May's gaze then hardened on Skip as she strode forward then sent a hard kick right into the man's face. Peter nearly lost his grip in shock, and Skip gasped in pain. 

 

May had easily shattered his nose to pieces. Before she could even think to go for his mouth in a second kick, red and gold armor was landing right behind her. 

 

Tony stepped smoothly out of the suit and surveyed the situation. 

 

Not one inch of Peter's body was scared anymore. 

 

He won. 

 

"Who-"

 

"Skip" Peter cut Tony off in a strained voice, then coughed up some more sand. 

 

It was a name Tony Stark never forgot after Peter confided in him a year ago. He activated his wrist watch and a gauntlet immediately formed around his hand. 

 

"Let me go. I'll leave you alone, alright? I'll move across the country if you want me to." Skip tried to reason, still weakly attempting to break free of Peter's pin. 

 

" _No more._ " Peter repeated angrily, then let go of Skip, stood, and backed away. 

 

"FRIDAY, call the police. Have the suit shoot this man if he attempts to run away. Send it home when he's taken in." Tony ordered, and the suit closed up and a gauntlet was pointed at Skip in response. The man didn't move. 

 

Tony considered delivering his own kick to Skip's face, but instead moved to Peter with May on his heels. The boy nearly fell into his arms, finally coming off of the adrenaline rush and wanting nothing more than to just leave. 

 

"We'll go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up, alright? Then we'll eat not one, but two boxes of pizza and maybe watch a movie. How about that?" Tony said softly as he led Peter away. May, who had her arm intertwined with Peter's and was pressed against his other side, shared a worried glance with the man. 

 

"I'll get the car. I'll meet you." She resolved, resisting the urge to check that they weren't being followed. 

 

Peter simply nodded. 

 

They walked in silence until they got to the bathrooms. Peter stood still for a few moments, his eyes trained on the ground. 

 

He knew he'd never have to see Skip again. He knew he had closure, and that he had finally been able to fight for himself rather than freezing. 

 

Yet, he still wanted to break down in tears. He had still been touched. He had still been held down. He had still been kissed. Skip had still _been there._  

 

"Peter..." May said softly, her hand on his shoulder. He shook his head lightly, then grabbed Tony's sleeve and headed into the men's bathroom. Tony gave May a reassuring look, then followed the boy in. 

 

Peter stopped in front of the sink, looking at himself in the mirror. Not a second later, he turned away, grabbed some paper towels, wet them, and started to scrub his lips harshly. This was when his eyes finally started to water. 

 

_Get it off._

 

The dirty feeling was back, and it was strong. 

 

Before he could scrub an entire layer of skin away, Tony lightly grabbed his hand and took up the task. Peter closed his eyes, feeling his jaw start to quiver. 

 

"Peter, did he... did he...?" Tony couldn't get any words out, the wet towel in his hand pressed against the corner of Peter's mouth. 

 

"He tried" Peter replied softly, and Tony was able to let out a breath of relief. 

 

"Okay, kiddo... what can I do for you? Do you want to shower? You've got a lot of sand in your hair." Tony partly asked because he wanted to assure Peter that he had options. He also asked because he wanted to spare the boy the shame of cleaning everywhere that Skip had touched him out in the open. Tony had a feeling that it wasn't just his face. 

 

Peter nodded, opening his eyes. "Okay, let me just clean your broken nose for the 20th time this month." Tony told him, and Peter managed a small laugh as the man wiped some blood off of his face. 

 

There was a beat of silence before Peter found himself needing to address one of his many concerns. 

 

"He threatened other kids. He'll hurt other kids." Peter warned his mentor, eyes still on the ground. 

 

"He'll be behind bars for the rest of his life, Peter. I'll make sure of that. You're never going to see him again. I promise." Tony said firmly, then grabbed a clean paper towel, wet it, and continued cleaning Peter's face. 

 

A minute later, when Tony looked over Peter's face for more blood, the teen's neck caught his attention. He lightly lifted Peter's chin and turned it to the side. There was a small bruise and a few bite marks. 

 

Silently, Tony lifted the towel to the boy's neck and gently wiped at it. 

 

More silence followed. Peter wanted to speak. He wanted to ask if Mr. Stark was angry at him for not fighting back sooner. He wanted to know if he did the right thing by not letting Skip use blackmail to get him. He wanted to know if he should be as proud as he felt for finally facing his worst fear, or ashamed that Skip got as far as he did. 

 

As if Tony could read his mind, the man said "I'm proud of you, Peter." 

 

One tear fell. A second followed. Soon Tony had his arms around him and was running a hand through his sandy curls. Peter stayed tucked into the man's chest for as long as he could, but eventually his steady wheezing turned to coughing and Tony backed away, concerned. 

 

Peter spit out some more sand in the sink, then turned to Tony with his hand on his throat. 

 

"Sand," he said in a raspy voice, "inhaled a lo'a sand."

 

"Get in the shower, Pete. I'll get you some water" Tony said worriedly, turning away. Peter grabbed his arm before the man could even finish his first step. 

 

"Stay...please" Peter pleaded, and Tony's eyes somehow softened even more. He nodded, and Peter let go of his arm. 

 

Tony stood right outside the stall as Peter used one of the public showers. While the boy tried to get clean, he updated May, and checked in with Friday. 

 

 

_Tony: Pete's showering. He inhaled a lot of sand. I'll have Bruce or Cho check him out, but I think a bottle of water would work wonders for now._

 

_May: Thanks, Tony. Has he spoken about anything to you? Did Skip...get far?_

 

_Tony: All I got was a "he tried." My guess is no, May. I think it'd be obvious if it'd gone too far. Speaking of that devil's armpit of a human, the police got him. FRI just gave me the update._

 

_May: Thank goodness_

 

_Tony: I haven't complemented you on the kick to his face yet...way to go! A+!_

 

_May: I wanted to do more than that, trust me._

 

_Tony: I'd have paid to see it._

 

 

At the sound of the shower turning off, Tony stuffed his phone in his pocket. Inside, Peter slid his clothes on. When he stepped out, Tony gave him an encouraging smile. 

 

"Do you feel any better?" Stark asked as Peter tried to style his sopping wet hair. "A little" the boy mumbled. 

 

"Are you ready to get out of here?" Tony then asked, and Peter nodded eagerly. 

 

Together, they headed towards where May was waiting with the car. Peter couldn't help but glance at the beach behind them. 

 

"He's gone. You don't need to worry." Tony stated, putting his arm around Peter's shoulder. The teen looked away, then, and focused on his mentor. 

 

"Can I please have some water?" He asked, triggering another coughing fit. Tony immediately pulled him towards the nearest vendor, cut the line, and demanded a bottle of water as he pulled his wallet out. 

 

"Tony Stark?" The man behind the counter gasped as the billionaire pulled out a twenty. 

 

"Yeah. Now can I have the water, _please?_ " Tony asked over the sound of Peter's hacking right behind him. Thankfully, nobody in the line objected to the kid getting some help. 

 

"Keep the change" Tony stated as the vendor handed him the water and took the twenty. 

 

He then ushered Peter away, opened the water, and gave it to him. Immediately, Peter started to down it, alternating between gurgling and spitting, and chugging it. 

 

When the bottle was empty, Peter silently started to walk again. "Any better?" Tony asked cautiously. "Much" Peter nodded, but it wasn't all gone. 

 

Tony patted his back encouragingly, walking alongside the teen. When they reached May's car, Peter climbed into the backseat and pulled at Tony's sleeve for company. The genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, superhero sat down obediently, and the teenager he cared most about curled around him. 

 

May looked back at them, worry in her eyes. 

 

"Is there anything I can do, Peter?" She asked desperately. 

 

The boy simply mumbled "home" in return. 

 

Nodding understandingly, May started to drive. The car remained in a stale silence until Peter's soft, sad voice broke it. 

 

"Am I a bad person?" He asked. 

 

May and Tony immediately objected, as Peter figured they would. 

 

_Tell them._

 

"I wish he was dead. I feel like a bad person for thinking that...but it's true." Peter said softly. Tony begun stroking his head gently. He closed his eyes. 

 

"No, Peter. You're not a bad person for thinking that. I want him dead. I'm sure Tony does. I know Ben did. He did really terrible things - _unforgivable_ things..." May replied. 

 

"But I made it easy. It's so hard for me to fight against him, and I just let him do things. I made it easy. I can't...how can I wish he were dead if it was also my fault?"

 

Tony made a noise of disagreement. May clutched the steering wheel a little bit tighter. 

 

"None of it is your fault, Peter. Not one thing. You were _nine_. He was seventeen. You couldn't have fought him. You didn't have any other choices. You're allowed to be angry." May said sharply. 

 

"I'm seventeen this time. It took me so long...too long" Peter shuddered. "My phone was in my pocket," he continued "I'm _Spider-Man._ " 

 

"No, you're Peter Parker. Spider-Man is Peter Parker. You froze. It's _okay_. I'd probably have passed out if I were in your shoes. What matters is that he's going back to prison and you're right here, and you're okay." Tony joined in. 

 

"What if I-" Peter flinched at the thought, then swallowed. "What if he...I don't want to be Peter Parker."

 

May really wanted to pull the car over so she could hold her child. She gripped the steering wheel even tighter. 

 

"Does my suit of armor make me a hero?" Tony asked Peter. The teen opened his eyes and looked up at him. Peter shook his head. 

 

"Does my suit of armor make me brave?" Tony questioned. 

 

"No, but y-" 

 

"Who's the hero: the suit, or the person in it?" Tony continued. 

 

_"Who's the hero: the suit or the man in it?" Ben asked._

 

_"Mr. Stark, obviously."_

 

Peter dug his face back into Tony's chest. 

 

"You, obviously" he answered. 

 

"No, Peter. _You_."

 

May smiled softly in the front seat. Peter didn't respond. He didn't know how. Instead, he nuzzled back into Tony's arms and shut his eyes again. 

 

He did his best not to think about Skip. 

 

 _His lips on mine._ My _lips, which are reserved for someone else._

 

He tried to focus on Tony's scent, and the feeling of an expensive t-shirt against his cheeks. 

 

Skips hands reaching down, down, down...

 

Peter flinched and sat up, feeling the need to scrape away the dirt. He was so dirty...

 

_Biting. Kissing. Sucking._

 

"Pete?" Tony asked, grabbing the boy's hands as he started to claw at the marks left on his neck. 

 

Peter stared at Tony with wide, terrified eyes. In response, the man placed his hand gently over the marks on Peter's neck. 

 

"I'm right there, not him. Do you feel my hand? That's me. Focus on me." Tony said softly, and Peter nodded, placing a shaky hand on top of Tony's, then slowly curling back into the man. 

 

_Tony. My suit of armor. Feel him. You don't feel Skip in your suit of armor. All you can feel is Tony. You feel brave. You feel powerful. You feel safe and protected._

 

Tony's hand was calloused, but warm and gentle. It was much better than the hard plastic of Peter's old Iron Man mask. 

 

The rest of the ride managed to fly by. Well, that's because Peter dozed off on top of Tony. The end of school was taxing enough. Skip had used up whatever energy was left in Peter's tank. 

 

When May parked outside their apartment building, Tony was so absorbed in running his free hand softly through Peter's hair that he didn't notice. 

 

"Pete" May said just loudly enough, turning in her seat to look at them. The boy's eyes managed to flutter open in response, but he just snuggled into Tony even more. 

 

"Come on, kid, let's go upstairs. It'll be much more comfortable." Tony sighed, taking his hand out of the teen's hair and waiting for his other to be let go of. 

 

Peter took a deep breath, memorizing the feeling of Tony's hand, then let go. The reassuring weight on his ( _dirty_ ) neck was something he missed immediately. But before he knew it, he was curled right back into the man's side. There was a box of pizza in front of them, The Goonies was playing on the TV, and May's legs were intertwined with his from the other end of the couch. 

 

 _Safe_. 

 

Peter felt comfortable. He felt protected. He was finally h-

 

_"What? Do you think you were the first one?"_

 

The teen shot up into a sitting position, gasping. There were tears almost immediately. 

 

"Woah, woah!" Tony eased, sitting up and putting his arm around Peter. May paused the movie and knelt down on the ground in front of him. 

 

"I wasn't the first." Peter breathed, staring blankly. How could he have forgotten? 

 

"What?" May asked worriedly, her hands on his knees. 

 

"Skip said I wasn't the _first_." Peter explained, looking at his aunt with wide, terrified eyes. 

 

"Shit" Tony muttered under his breath. May closed her eyes and looked down. 

 

"We have to find out who they are and help them!" Peter said frantically. 

 

"Peter..." May sighed, looking up at him sadly. 

 

"It's not that easy." Tony said quietly. 

 

Peter shook his arm off and turned to him. 

 

"You're _Tony Stark_. If anyone can find them, it's you." Peter said frantically. 

 

"But it's been ten years, Pete. We'd just be reintroducing trauma into their lives if we had them testify." Tony said warily. 

 

"It wouldn't be _reintroducing_ anything. It never goes away. _Never_. They deserve justice, which clearly they haven't gotten. They deserve to be heard- to be recognized." Peter argued. 

 

"Peter..." May tried. 

 

"Who knows how many kids he hurt? They've been living silently with this trauma for over _ten_ years. If they're heard, Skip will never leave prison. Ever. We can help them! _I_ can help them!" Peter interrupted. 

 

"What would you even do if you got their names?" Tony asked. 

 

"Write them a letter, and tell them he's been locked up for ten years and is going right back. They deserve piece of mind. They deserve to know they're not alone!" Peter stood up and began pacing, wiping his eyes every few seconds. 

 

"I don't know if we have the right, Pe-" 

 

" _I do_. What if it was me? What if I was one of those kids that never got help? I probably wouldn't have even survived it. He made me hate myself. He made me think everyone else would hate me if they knew. I suffered in silence for two days. They've suffered in silence for a _decade_. Time doesn't heal a wound like that... not for everyone." Peter said hotly. 

 

His heart was racing. 

 

_You have to do this._

 

"Everything happens for a reason... maybe I needed to face him tonight. Maybe it wasn't so I could have closure, but so I could help the others." Peter added. It was certainly easier to think about that way. 

 

Tony and May looked at each other. After a shared look of apprehensive agreement, Tony pulled out his phone. 

 

After about an hour of FRIDAY scanning every documented text, call, security footage tape, email, etc. that involved Skip's identity in any way, shape, or form, along with extra checks involving doctor visits and the behavior of potential survivors around the time, a list of three boys came up. 

 

One's name was Charlie Robinson and he would have been 20 that August, and was 10 at the time Skip might have hurt him. No cases of sexual harassment, assault, or rape ever came up in any of his files. The only signs were a sudden drop in his mental health. Skip had been his babysitter for roughly six months. Charlie committed suicide three years after the time it might have happened. There had been two prior suicide attempts. 

 

The second boy, Andrew (Andy) Wilkinson, was now 22, but was 7 at the time. His attendance went from perfect to 15 absences in one month, followed by a diagnosis of depression and anxiety. He got held back a grade due to his lack of attendance and participation. He was now working as a newly-inducted firefighter in Brooklyn. Skip had been his "big buddy" in a school program. 

 

The third was Spencer Higgins. He had been 10 at the time, and was now 20. There was no record of anything being wrong aside from a very brief period of selective mutism. He was now studying Marketing at a Division II university where he played Soccer. Skip had been his neighbor. 

 

Those were just the names they could find. 

 

"Playground. He said he found kids at playgrounds." Peter panicked, sick to his stomach. 

 

"This is all there is, Pete. Nothing else is documented to a point where dots could be connected. We can't even be completely sure of these three." Tony replied, disheartened. 

 

"Maybe Skip will give names. Maybe he'll admit what he did." Peter lied to himself out loud, needing to feel better. 

 

"Why don't we start with the names we have?" May suggested, hoping to calm her nephew down. 

 

"But it might not be everyone." Peter protested. The truth was right there in front of him, but he refused to acknowledge it. He couldn't. 

 

"Peter..." Tony spoke up, a pained look on his face. 

 

_Don't say it._

 

"We can't find all of them." 

 

It crushed Tony to say almost as much as it broke Peter to hear. The teen's face crumpled, and May had to stand and usher him back down to the couch. 

 

_That could have been you. They suffered but they never got help. You can't help them._

 

A loud, pained sob escaped Peter's lips. 

 

Some will never feel closure. 

 

Peter tried to focus on the arms of his loved ones around him. 

 

_How many didn't survive this long? How many tried to speak up, but weren't believed? How many have you missed, Peter?_

 

"I'm sorry, Pete. I wish I could do more...but capitalize on the information we do have. Help who you can, including Charlie's family." Tony replied. 

 

_You can't even help Charlie, and you easily could have been in his shoes._

 

"I want to do more." Peter sniffled, holding on to the feeling of Tony's hand running through his hair. 

 

"I know, kiddo, but he's going to get a nice visit from Natasha, and maybe even Steve, and _definitely_ me, and he won't see daylight again, let alone get his greasy hands on another kid. I promise you. What you did at the beach - stopping him - that alone has helped so many potential victims... you included." Tony reassured him, and it genuinely did take some weight off of Peter’s shoulders. The thought of three original Avengers teaching Skip a lesson wasn't so terrible. 

 

But Charlie, Andy, and Spencer were more important, and Peter didn't think twice about that. All the other kids, if there were more, were equally as important. Peter knew he wouldn't let them down. He was ready to face this. 

 

And he didn't need a suit of armor to feel brave anymore. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like it? 
> 
> Thank you all so so much for your support throughout this journey. This was my first ever multi-chapter published fan fiction, and my first one written since 2013. It felt so good to get this story off my chest. I hope you all stick around for some more Peter Parker whump in the near future, because I've got some stuff in the works (;

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that. It took a lot out of me emotionally, but I literally wrote it in one sitting. It was like ridding my body of poison! Leave a comment!


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